Portable hair dryer hood

ABSTRACT

A portable hair dryer hood which includes inner and outer jackets divided into longitudinal cells which support at their apex a housing containing a motor operated blower whose weight is reduced by the upward force of the air cushion formed by the air from the blower.

0 United States Patent 1 [111 r 3,800,431 Hubner Apr. 2, 1974 [54] PORTABLE HAIR DRYER HOOD 3,032,891 5/1962 Parker 34 99 Inventor: Hubner, 199 53331133? 311313 33222213: ..II..'ZZZ

Mauerkircherstrabe 8, Mun1ch 8 1 Germany 22 Filed: July 27, 1972 Primary ExaminerKenneth w. Sprague Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Kenneth S. Goldfarb [2l] Appl. No.: 275,786

Related US. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 231,503, March 3,

1971 [57] ABSTRACT [52] US. Cl. 34/99, 34/91 A portable hair dryer hood which includes inner and [51 1 Int. Cl. v. F26b 20/24 outer jackets divided into longitudinal cells which sup- [58] Field of Search 34/90, 91, 96l0l; port at their apex a housing containing a motor oper- 132/9, 40, 42, 57, 144, 145 ated blower whose weight is reduced by the upward force of the air cushion formed by the air from the [56] References Cited blower.

UNITED STATES PATENTS 7 2,481,407 9/1949 Fluegel 34/99 1 8 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures 52 1:1 3 52 20 13 B l 7 12 5111911 "F G 191 9 0:! 21 I 2 23 y l I {21 PATENTED APR 2 I974 SHEET 2 0F 2 1 PORTABLE HAIR DRYER lI-IOOD REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Major requirements for hair drying hoods are light weight, space-saving storability when not in use, and quick, simple set-up for operation. I

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART According to familiar methods (French Pat. specification No. 1,306,634, German registered Pat. No. 6,607,466) the motor-driven blower which provides drying air is mounted along with its electrical heater in a housing, with the hood attached to it. The hood consists of flexible material and has cell-forming double walls. Warm, dry air flows from the bottom of the housing into the cells, inflates the hood, emerges through air outlet openings in the inner jacket, blows over and through the hair to be dried, and leaves the drying hood at its lower rim. These hoods have relatively large dimensions, similar to those of solid hair drying hoods, the larger distance between inner hood jacket and hair to be dried assures uniform drying of the moist hair.

Because of their heavy weight which is due mainly to the motor-driven blower and its housing, such drying hoods require a tripod or similar device for support. Thus, the advantage of inflatable hoods over solid hair drying hoods actually consists only of their spavesaving storability.

According to another familiar method (German DT-OS No. 1902622), a hair drying hood may be made portable without requiring a tripod or similar device for support. For this purpose, the double-walled hood is designed as a cap to which the housing containing the motor-driven blower is connected in detachable fashion in the neck area. In order to achieve light weight, a high-revolution, low voltage d.c. motor is used which is mounted along with its heater in a tube-shaped housing. In order to prevent the cap from sliding off the hair, the hood is equipped, at its rim, with a skin tight band that goes from the forehead to the back of the head. Dry air blown into the space between outer and inner jacket of the double-walled hood flows through the openings in the inner jacket onto the hair to be dried and emerges in the vicinity of the band through overlapping openings in the inner and outer jacket.

The closeness of the inner jacket to the hair, and the overlapping openings which are provided only in the vicinity of the band, have the effect of a high flowresistance to the drying air. This necessitates the use of a blower with relatively high efficiency. Since, in addition, the hood, especially in the vicinity of the band, is in tight contact with the hair or skin, resp., uniform drying in these areas is made difficult.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is based on the problem to develop a portable hair drying hood with a motor-driven blower with heater and with an inflatable double-walled hood made of flexible sheeting, whose inner jacket is equipped with openings and whose airtight outer jacket is attached directly, in detachable fashion, with its intake opening to the outlet opening of the housing containing the motor-driven blower, in such a manner that on the one hand a high airflow resistance is avoided, so that a less efficient motor may be used, whereby the motor housing is kept shallow so that not only the hood but also the motor housing may be stored, with corresponding saving of space, in a flat container, while on the other hand the blower housing may be attached to the outer jacket of the hood in such a manner that the hood cannot become displaced from its position on the hair even if no additional bands, for example of the type that is tied below the chin, are provided.

-This problem is solved, according to the invention, by designing the hood in helmet shape and by subdividing the side wall of the hood into longitudinal cells which terminate in a central distribution chamber at the apex of the hood, above which the housing containing the motor-driven blower, protruding partly into the distribution chamber and located coaxially with respect to the hood axis, is mounted in such a manner that, during use, it supports its weight which is reduced by the upward force of the air cushion formed in the distribution chamber when the hood is inflated, above the hair on its bottom surface and on the inner jacket of the hood. Due to the coaxial mounting of the housing containing the motor-driven blower with respect to the hood axis, the hair drying hood according to the invention is in balance on the head so that additional means of fastening, such as bands tied around the chin, are not necessary and free lateral space between inner jacket and hair or head as in solid hoods, is gained. In addition,the housing containing the motor-driven blower is supported over the hair on the air cushion by a larger surface so that no disagreeable pressure is exerted on the head. According to the invention, the motor-driven blower is of the radial type on whose thrust face at least one heating coil is mounted, in the plane of the impeller and coaxially with respect to it. In this manner, the motor-driven blower and the housing may be made very flat.

It is advantageous to construct the housing containing the motor-driven blower in pot shape. Motor and impeller as well as suctionand thrust faces of the blower ducts are contained in its interior; the outer jacket of the hood is fastened, along the rim of its opening that is near the hood apex, to its exterior wall, and the inner jacket of the hood is fastened at the apex, in stashah sia tts. it b t smsyxfassau In a preferred form of execution of this arrangement, the housing containing the motor-driven blower consists of a mushroom-shaped cap below which the motor is mounted, and of the housing bottom; between the two, a circular-shaped disk which forms, on the one hand with the cap, and on the other hand with the housing bottom, one ring-gap each, as air intake and air outlet openings, resp., is mounted as separating wall between suctionand thrust faces of the blower, and whose rim is equipped with a ring nut. In an advantageous design of the hood, its outer jacket engages, through the flexible rim of its opening, with this ring nut, while the inner jacket is fastened to the bottom of the housing by means of a snap fastener. Due to the fastening, according to the invention, of the inner jacket to the bottom surface of the pot shaped housing, a ringshaped air cushion is formed whose upward force, as already mentioned, supports the housing containing the motor-driven blower. In addition, the housing containing the motor-driven blower and the outer jacket are prevented from changing position with respect to the inner jacket during an accidental head movement,

thus preventing the hood from sliding off the hair.

In order to reduce air flow resistance, to facilitate uniform drying of the hair, and to assure a secure position of the hood on the hair, an air-permeable spacer is mounted, according to the invention, at the inside apex of the inner jacket of the hood. In addition, the bottom surface of the housing adjacent to the spacer may be equipped with ring-shaped spacers. I

This spacer may preferably be in the shape of a round comb, welded to the inside of the inner jacket. In another form of execution of the invention, the apex surface of the inner jacket, enclosed by the round comb, is crownor cone-shaped, with the snap fastener mounted in its center. a

, I; These methods prevent the inner jacket of the hood from sticking to the hair, and the drying air in the apex area from being forced through flat spaces which would be equivalent to a high air flow resistance.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention are explained by means of examples of execution in the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 1 FIG. 1 shows a drying hood 1. A helmet-shaped, inflatable double-walledhood 2 is fastened to a housing 3. It includesan outerjacket l and an innerjacket 11.

The outer jacket has an opening in the area of the I hood apex whose flexible rim engages airtight with a ring nut 13 at housing 3. The rim of the outer jacket is re-enforced by a built-in rubber band 12 or similar device.

tom surface 6 of the housing by means of av snap fastener 20, and contains openings 21 which are also found on the sides of the inner jacket. The inner jacket is equipped, in the apex, with a holder in the form of a round comb 14 which may be fastened in detachable fashion. It rests on hair curlers 23.

I The side wall of the hood is subdivided into longtudinal cells within the outer and inner jacket, by means of welding or bonding the two jackets to one another along longitudinal lines with predeterminedspacing. Cells 15 terminate, in'the area of the hood apex, in a central distribution chamber 19. In ear area 50, outer and inner jackets are mounted Hat and airtight adjacent Inner jacket 11 is fastened at the hood apex to bot- 1 to one another and have common openings 51. For reenforcement, of the hood, chamber 17, which may extend from the facial opening to the neck portion, is provided at the lower rim formed jointly by the inner and the outer jacket. I v y The housing containing motor-driven blower 3 which is mounted coaxially with respect to the hood axis, protrudes partially into central distribution chamber 19. It is constructed in pot-shape and contains in its interior blower motor 7 and impeller 8 driven by motor 7, as well as suction face of blower duct 5 and the thrust face of blower duct' 6. The suction face of blower duct 5 is of circular ring-shape and is mounted coaxially with respect to the blower motor forming a ring-gap. The housing section above it contains openings 52 for air intake. 1

The heater "consists of a heating coil 9 which is mounted coaxiall'ywith respect to impeller 8 within the space formed by'the t'wo separated blower ducts.

The blower motor is ads. low voltage motor with permanent-magnetic' annature and rectifier, con structed in such a waythat the blower achieves a flowthrough of at least 30 m of air per hour. The choice of this particular type of motor makes it possible to keep the weight of the hair drying hood according to the invention very low-around 300g. The motor is connected to the electrical power line via a rectifier 25 and a droping resistor.

After the motor is switched 'on, air is suctioned through air intake openings 52, heated, by the ringshaped heating'coil, and forced, into the space formed by the outer and inner jacket. The air inflates the hood while forming an air cushion in the distributiorichamber, and flows onto the hair to be dried, through the openings provided in the inner jacket.

The motor-driven blower supports itself out e ;..-air over the air cusion formed in the distribution chamber. This air cushion produces stabilization of the-apex' of the hood as well as an ideal airflow transfer into the lat eral' cells. t

As illustrated in FIG. 2, openings 21 of the inner jacket are located near the weld-seams of the cells so that air, as indicated by the arrows, emerges from these cells in a roughly tangential direction with respect to the hair, thus avoiding direct blowing and disagreeable heat. The air circulates in the interior, blowing over the hair for an extended period of time, and emerging at the lower rim between hood and head.

Hood 23' according to FIG. 4 includes a doublewalled flexible shetting with outer jacket 24 and inner jacket 25 which is equipped with openings 41. Longitudinal sides 37 of hood 23 are subdivided into vertical cells 39 between outer and inner jacket by I weld-seams 38. They do not extend fully up to apex section 35. In order to achieve a better fit of the hood on the head, an air-permeable spacer in the form of a I I round comb/36 is provided in the apex area at the inner side of the inner jacket of the hood. The bottom surface of housing bottom 29 is equipped with spacer ribs on which, above the inner jacket attached to it, the round comb/rests. The surface'enclosed by the round comb in this apex area iscrownor cone-shaped, and a snap fastener 33, 34 is mounted in its center. When the hood is placed on the head, the conical area enclosed by the' round comb points, with its conical tip, downward'sfin the direction of the head.

Accordinglydevelopment of a ring-shaped cushion is assured, and no shallow spaces are formed which would v have the effect of a high flow resistance to the air flowing therethrough. i

The housing for the motor-driven blower includes mushroom -shaped cap 26 which serves as handle, and a housing bottom 29, between them, a ring -shaped disk 28 is mounted as separating wall between suction and thrust faces of the blower.

Both parts 28 and 29 contain the complete blower with its electrical driveand connecting devices which have already been illustrated and explained in FIG. 1 Ring-shaped disk 28 forms a ring-gap air intake, and the housing bottom provides an air outlet which is formed by grid 31.

At the upper edge of grid 31, a nut 30a is provided to which the upper rim of outer jacket 24 is attached by means of a rubber band. The mushroom-shaped cap also serves as handle.

By making upper apex section 35 of the inner jacket relatively large, and by central fastening through the snap fastener, a ring-shaped air cushion 40 is formed through build-up of air during inflation. This produces, in connection with round comb 36, a particularly good fit on the hair. Build-up of air produces ring-shaped air cusion 40 and cells 39 which stabilize the whole hood and make it self supporting. The assembly is connected to the power line through line cord 42, stepping switch 43, and plug 44.

The drying hood according to the invention makes it possible to revert effortlessly to other activities during the drying time, such as reading, using the phone, etc., and to move freely about the room, whereby freedom of movement is limited mainly by the length of the line cord.

A latitude of modification, substitution and change is intended in the foregoing disclosures, and in some instances, some features of the present invention may be employed without a corresponding use of other features.

What is claimed is:

1. Portable hair dryer hood for a dryer including a housing having a motor driven blower heater, and outlet opening, said hood being made of flexible sheeting and being inflatable double walled, said hood being helmet shaped and having an inner jacket provided with openings therein, an outer airtight jacket provided with an intake opening, said outer and innerjacket being arranged to form substantially vertically extending longitudinal cells, a central distribution chamber at the apex of said hood, said housing being mounted at said top of said hood with said intake opening communicating with said outlet opening, said housing partially protruding into said hood and being coaxial with said hood so that said hood supports the weight of said housing reduced by the upward force of the air cushion formed in said distribution chamber when said hood is inflated, above the hair on its bottom surface and on said inner jacket, an air-permeable spacer being mounted at the area of the inner wall of said inner jacket for the purpose of securing the position of said hood on the head, said spacer having the form of a round comb that is welded to the inside of said inner jacket, said inner jacket being attached to said housing by means of a snap fastener, said apex of the inner jacket of the hood enclosed by said round comb being of conical shape, and said snap fastener being mounted in its center.

2. Portable hair drying hood according to claim 1, wherein the bottom surface of the housing in the area of the spacer is provided with spacer ribs.

3. Portable hair drying hood according to claim 1, wherein said housing is pot-shaped, said motor having an impeller and section and thrust blower ducts, the outer jacket of the hood being attached to said housing along the rim of its intake opening said inner jacket of the hood being detachably secured to the bottom surface of said housing, said inner and outer jackets being flat and airtight and having common opening adjacent the ear of the user.

4. Portable hair drying hood according to claim 3, said outer jacket engaging with the flexible rim of its intake opening with a ring nut in the exterior wall of the housing.

5. Portable hair drying hood according to claim 1, said inner and outer jackets being perforated and attached flat to each other.

6. Portable hair drying hood according to claim 1, said blower having an impeller and a heating coil mounted in the plane of said impeller and located coaxially with respect thereto.

7. Portable hair drying hood according to claim 6, wherein said housing has a mushroom-shaped cap below which the motor is mounted, and said housing further having a housing bottom a separating wall including a circular-shaped disk disposed between said cap and said bottom and forming on the one hand with the cap and on the other hand with the housing bottom one ring-gap each, as air intake and air outlet openings respectively.

8. Portable hair drying hood according to claim 7, wherein said separating wall has its edge with a grid made up of rods that faces said air outlet opening. 

1. Portable hair dryer hood for a dryer including a housing having a motor driven blower heater, and outlet opening, said hood being made of flexible sheeting and being inflatable double walled, said hood being helmet shaped and having an inner jacket proviDed with openings therein, an outer airtight jacket provided with an intake opening, said outer and inner jacket being arranged to form substantially vertically extending longitudinal cells, a central distribution chamber at the apex of said hood, said housing being mounted at said top of said hood with said intake opening communicating with said outlet opening, said housing partially protruding into said hood and being coaxial with said hood so that said hood supports the weight of said housing reduced by the upward force of the air cushion formed in said distribution chamber when said hood is inflated, above the hair on its bottom surface and on said inner jacket, an airpermeable spacer being mounted at the area of the inner wall of said inner jacket for the purpose of securing the position of said hood on the head, said spacer having the form of a round comb that is welded to the inside of said inner jacket, said inner jacket being attached to said housing by means of a snap fastener, said apex of the inner jacket of the hood enclosed by said round comb being of conical shape, and said snap fastener being mounted in its center.
 2. Portable hair drying hood according to claim 1, wherein the bottom surface of the housing in the area of the spacer is provided with spacer ribs.
 3. Portable hair drying hood according to claim 1, wherein said housing is pot-shaped, said motor having an impeller and section and thrust blower ducts, the outer jacket of the hood being attached to said housing along the rim of its intake opening said inner jacket of the hood being detachably secured to the bottom surface of said housing, said inner and outer jackets being flat and airtight and having common opening adjacent the ear of the user.
 4. Portable hair drying hood according to claim 3, said outer jacket engaging with the flexible rim of its intake opening with a ring nut in the exterior wall of the housing.
 5. Portable hair drying hood according to claim 1, said inner and outer jackets being perforated and attached flat to each other.
 6. Portable hair drying hood according to claim 1, said blower having an impeller and a heating coil mounted in the plane of said impeller and located coaxially with respect thereto.
 7. Portable hair drying hood according to claim 6, wherein said housing has a mushroom-shaped cap below which the motor is mounted, and said housing further having a housing bottom a separating wall including a circular-shaped disk disposed between said cap and said bottom and forming on the one hand with the cap and on the other hand with the housing bottom one ring-gap each, as air intake and air outlet openings respectively.
 8. Portable hair drying hood according to claim 7, wherein said separating wall has its edge with a grid made up of rods that faces said air outlet opening. 